Sand spreading mechanism



Se t. 22 1931. G c, BBE 1,824,419

SAND SPREADING MECHANISM Filed March 15, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l4rro/mosya.

Sept. 22, 1931. c, ABBE 1,824,419

SAND SPREADING MECHANI SM Filed March 15, 1928 2 Sheets-Shem- 2grra/iwzys.

Patented Sept. 22, 1931.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE C. ABBE, OF KENNETT SQUARE,PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN ROAD MACHINERY COMPANY, INC., 0FKENNETT SQUARE, PENNSYLVANIA, A COR- PORATION OF DELAWARE SAND SPREADINGMECHANISM Application filed March 15, 1928. Serial No. 261,732.

This invention relates to a sand spreading mechanism which consists of abin and spreading means and which is provided with a feeding means forfeeding sand or the like from the bin to the spreading means.

In machines of this character heretofore used, the bin has been mountedeither on a truck chassis or on a trailer and a rotating spreader towhich sand is fed from the bin has been provided to spread the sand overa road or other surface which it is desired to render non-slippery. Inthese machines it has been customary to provide a conveyor or the likefor supplying sand from the bin to the spreader. The spreader andconveyor have been operated at constant speeds, so that the only methodof effectively changing the amount of sand distributed over a givensurface consists in changing the speed of the truck or tractor in theordinary manner. This, however, does not make for the highestefliciency, since the time necessary to cover a surface is dependentupon the concentration of sand applied.

It is accordingly the object of the present invention to provide a sandspreading mechanism in which the distribution of the sand may be variedindependently of the speed of the truck or the speed of the spreader,which latter speed determines the distance to which the sand is thrown.

While in the following description the spreader is described as appliedto the distribution of sand, it will be clear that other materials, forexample, cinders or ashes may be applied by the sand mechanism.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic sectional elevation of a part of the improvedmechanism;

Fig. 2 is a plan view partly in section of the improved speed changingdevice; and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the, subject matter of Fig. 2.

There is indicated at 2 the chassis of a truck or trailer which carriesa bin 4 adapted to receive sand or other material which it is desired tospread. Extending longitudinally of the bottom of the bin 4 and alsothrough an extension channel 6 thereof is a screw conveyor 8 formed upona tubular shaft having suitable hearings on the chassis. Extendingthrough the tubular conveyor shaft is a second shaft 10 which issimilarly provided with bearings on the frame. The forward end of thescrew conveyor is provided with a sprocket wheel 12. The forward end ofshaft 10 is similarly provided with a sprocket wheel 14.

To drive the conveyor on shaft 10, apower shaft 16 is provided which maybe driven from a suitable source of power, not shown, which may beeither the engine which serves to drive the truck or an auxiliary engineor motor. Splined on shaft 16 is a clutch member 18 provided withengaging members 20 and 22. Mounted for free rotation upon shaft 16 is aclutch member 24 adapted to cooperate with engaging member 20 and havinga hub which carries a sprocket wheel 26. A similar clutch member 28engaging member 22 is also mounted for rotary motion about shaft 16 andcarries a sprocket wheel 30.

Sprocket wheel 26 is connected with a sprocket wheel 32 by means of asuitable chain, while sprocket wheel 30 is similarly connected withasprocket wheel 34, sprocket" wheels 32 and 34 being mounted on acountershaft 36 having suitable hearings in the frame. Countershaft 36also carries a sprocket wheel 38 connected by a chain 40 to, sprocketwheel 12. W

A sprocket wheel 42 fixed on shaft 16 is connected by a chain 44 withsprocket wheel 14.

Clutch 18 may be manually operated to engage either clutchmembers 20 and24 or clutch members 22 and 28 by means of a lever 46 which may bemanual y operated to move link 48 and lever 50 to slide clutch member 18longitudinally along shaft 16.

At the rear end of the bin there extends downwardly a chute 52throughwhich sand.

may be delivered by the screw conveyor from channel 6 into ring 56 ofspreader 54 carried by a vertical shaft 58. Spreader 54 consists of aplate having outwardly extending vanes which serve, during the rotationof shaft 58, to throw off the sand and thus spread it about the road. Abevel gear 60 is mounted on the P upper end of shaft 58 and meshes withthe corresponding bevel gear 62 secured to shaft 10.

From the above description, it will be clear that if shaft 16 is drivenat constant speed, spreader 54 will likewise be driven at constantspeed, so that thesand will be distributed over a given surface of road.By increasing or decreasing the speed of counter shaft 36 the extent ofdistribution of the sand may be regulated.

The concentration of the sand over a given area may be readily regulatednot only by changing the speed of the truck but also independently ofthe speed of the truck by means of the clutch mechanism described,through which shaft 36 may be regulated to drive through sprocket wheel32 or sprocket wheel 34. By the means described, it is unnecessary toslow down the truck in order to secure a more concentrated distributionof sand or other material. 7

What I claim and desire to protect by Let ters Patent is:

1. A sand spreading mechanism comprising a bin, rotary sand spreadingmeans, a screw conveyor for feeding sand from the bin to the spreadingmeans, a power driven shaft, connections between the shaft and spreadingmeans, a plurality of clutch members, connections between each of theclutch members and the conveyor, and a manually controlled clutch memberrotating with the shaft and selectively movable to engage either of theaforementioned clutch members whereby the speed of the conveyor may beadjusted relatively to that of the spreading means.

2. A sand spreading mechanism comprising a bin, rotary sand spreadingmeans, a screw conveyor for feeding sand from the bin to the spreadingmeans consisting of a sleeve carrying a screw blade, a shaft extendingthrough the sleeve and connected to the spreading means, a power drivenshaft, means connecting the first mentioned shaft 'with the power drivenshaft, and manually controllable connections between the power drivenshaft and the conveyor whereby the speed of the conveyor may be variedrelatively to that of the spreading means.

In testimony of whichinvention, I have hereunto set my hand, at KennettSquare, Pa., on this 1st day of March, 1928.

,- GEORGE C. ABBE.

